Faith Lutheran to join Northeastern Athletic Conference

CRYSTAL LAKE – Faith Lutheran will have a new home next year for sports, the Northeastern Athletic Conference.

The tiny Crystal Lake private school received the official letter from the NAC on Monday, stating it had been approved for membership for the 2013-14 school year. Faith currently is an independent school for athletics, although it co-ops with NAC member Alden-Hebron in some sports.

“We’re real excited to be in a conference like they have,” Faith athletic director Drew Potthoff said. “It will really be fun to work with these [athletic directors]. It gives us some credibility as a school when you get a conference schedule. We don’t have to travel all over the place and hunt for games. Right away, this is a group to call our own.”

Potthoff said becoming a member will allow Faith to establish rivalries and compete in conference tournaments.

Faith’s enrollment for this year is 69 students, 113.85 with the IHSA .65 multiplier for non-boundaried schools.

“When we talked about co-oping for sports [with Faith], I said it would be a natural fit [to have Faith in the NAC],” A-H athletic director John Lalor said. “I said, ‘You guys ought to just join the conference, you play a lot of us already.’ Competition-wise, they will fit in OK.”

Faith competes in cross country, volleyball, basketball, golf and track and field. The Saints co-op with A-H in football and wrestling, while A-H students can compete with Faith in golf and boys volleyball.

The NAC is comprised of A-H, Christian Liberty, Christian Life, Rockford Christian, Luther North, Mooseheart and Westminster Christian in all sports. Westminster will start football next year.

Illinois Math and Science, Harvest Christian and Keith School compete in all sports except football. Ottawa Marquette, Chicago Hope Academy and North Shore Country Day play in football only, while Kirkland Hiawatha plays in the NAC in football and soccer.